Dual mounted cup steel brushes for metal cleaning



1969 P. J. LEONARD 3,

DUAL MOUNTED CUP STEEL BRUSHES FOR METAL CLEANING Filed Feb. 28, 1958 Fig./

Paul J. Lennard United States Patent US. Cl. 1577 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elongated shaft having one end portion adapted to be driven by a high speed rotary member and including a pair of axially spaced and opposing cup-type wire brushes mounted thereon for rotation therewith. The shaft is threaded throughout a major portion of its length spaced intermediate the opposite ends thereof and the brushes include portions thereof threadedly engaged on the shaft and releasably locked in adjusted position thereon. Also, the shaft includes an internally threaded protective sleeve threadedly engaged on the shaft in radial registry with and so as to fully enclose the area of the shaft between the adjacent portions of the brushes.

The brush assembly of the instant invention has been specifically designed to provide a means whereby both opposite side face portions of a marginal edge portion of a metallic plate may be brushed clean. The individual brushes carried by the threaded shaft of the brush assembly may be adjusted axially of the shaft relative to each other in order to vary the spacing between the confronting portions of the brushes whereby the marginal edge portion of the plate of metal to be cleaned may be received between the brushes with the latter frictionally engaged with both sides of the plate and the brush assembly may have one end of its shaft portion removably supported from the chuck of a hand drill or drill press and the like.

The individual brush members of the brush assembly may include wire bristle portions constructed of any appropriate metal to be determined by the material of which the plate to be cleaned is formed and abrasive members, other than wire brush members, may be mounted on the shaft for special plate cleaning purposes if desired.

The main object of this invention is to provide a powered brush assembly capable of brushing and thus cleaning opposite side surfaces of marginal edge portions of plate-like members.

Another object of this invention is to provide a brush assembly which will be operative to de-bur an edge portion of a panel or sheet of plate-like material while at the same time brushing clean opposite side edge faces of that marginal edge portion.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a rotary brush assembly in accordance with the preceding object and including means by which the penetration of the edge portion of a plate being cleaned between the opposing brush members of the brush assembly may be precisely limited.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a brush assembly in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple con struction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the brush assembly shown supported from the chuck of a hand drill and operatively associated with a marginal edge portion of a panel of sheet metal to be cleaned;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the brush assembly.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 18 generally designates a plate or sheet metal body of metal including a marginal edge portion 12 having opposite side faces 14 and 16 which are to be cleaned.

A conventional hand power drill is referred to in general by the reference numeral 18 and includes a rotary chuck 20 of conventional design. A brush assembly is referred to in general by the reference numeral 22 and includes an elongated support shaft 24 provided with an externally smooth end portion 26 and which is externally threaded as at 28 throughout the rest of its length.

The brush assembly 22 includes a pair of substantially identical brush members 30 including cup-shaped bodies 32 consisting of cylindrical side wall portions 34 and an end wall portion 36 extending across one end of the cylindrical wall portions 34. Each of the end wall portions is centrally apertured as at 38 and has a reinforcing member 40 secured in the aperture in any convenient manner such as by Welding 42. The reinforcing member 40 has a central threaded bore 44 formed therethrough and the reinforcing members 40 of the brush members 30 are threadedly engaged on the support shaft 24 in axially spaced opposed relation. The cylindrical wall portions 34 include deep circumferentially extending grooves 46 in which the base ends of a plurality of wire bristles 48 or the like are secured.

The brush members 30 are axially spaced along the support shaft 24 with the free ends of their bristles 48 slightly spaced apart a distance somewhat less than the thickness of the plate or panel 18 whereby the free ends of the bristles 48 will be in tight frictional engagement with the opposite side faces 14 and 16 of the plate 10 When the brush assembly 22 is positioned as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings with the marginal edge portion 12 received between the confronting ends of the bristles 48.

The brush members 30 are secured in axially shifted positions on the support shaft 24 by means of jam nuts 50 threadedly engaged on the support shaft 24 and threaded tightly against the reinforcing members 40. In addition, a protective sleeve 52 is provided and is threaded on the support shaft 24 intermediate the reinforcing members 40 whereby the sleeve 52 is in registry with the spacing between the free ends of the bristles 48.

The brush assembly 22 of the instant invention may be utilized to clean side surfaces of an edge portion of a piece of sheet metal which is relatively thin or the opposite side faces of the edge portion of a plate of metal which is appreciably thicker merely by adjusting the brush members along a support shaft 24 in order to properly space the brush members 30 relatively to each other according to the thickness of the material to be received therebetween. In addition, the brush assembly may be utilized to roughen marginal edge portions of softer panel-like materials which are to be joined to similar other panels by adhesive rather than by welding and the sleeve 52 performs two important functions. Further, the sleeve 52 operates to protect the support shaft against marring by contact with the panel or sheet 12 and secondly the sleeve 52 provides a smooth surface to prevent marring of the edge portion 12 and to limit movement of the brush members 30 inwardly of the marginal edge portion 12.

By limiting penetration of the brush members 30 inwardly of the edge portion 12, the sleeve 52 enables the workman holding the hand power drill 18 to apply pressure so as to urge the sleeve 52 into contact with the edge portion 12 and thus steady the brush assembly 22 relative to the work 10. Further, the sleeve 52 provides a partial guide which enables the brush assembly 22 to be steadied relative to the work as the axis of rotation of the support shank 24 is slightly inclined relative to the medial plane of the plate 10 by the workmen holding the drill 18 for the purpose of allowing the brush members to brush certain portions of the plate 10 more vigorously than others and to propel itself along the edge portion 12.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A brush assembly for cleaning opposite side faces of marginal edge portions of panel members, said brush assembly including a support shaft adapted to be rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis, a pair of brush members mounted on said support shaft for rotation therewith and including brush bristles spaced about and extending generally longitudinally of said support shaft, said brush members being disposed on said shaft with the free ends of the bristles thereof opposing each other and spaced apart axially of said support shaft, said shaft being threaded throughout its length extending between said brush members and the latter including portions threaded on said shaft and releasably locked against rotation relative thereto, and a protective and guide sleeve threadedly engaged on said shaft and bridging the spacing between the free ends of the bristles of said brush members.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bristles on said brush members are spaced radially outwardly of 4 said support in a cylindrical area disposed concentrically relative to said support shaft.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bristles on said brush members are spaced radially outwardly of said support in a cylindrical area disposed concentrically relative to said support shaft. U I

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shaft includes an end portion free of threads adapted to be re movably secured in a chuck.

5. A brush assembly for cleaning opposite side faces of marginal edge portions of panel members, said brush assembly including a support shaft adapted to be rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis, a pair of brush members mounted on said support shaft for rotation therewith and including brush bristles spaced about and extending generally longitudinally of said support shaft, said brush members being disposed on said shaft with the free ends of the bristles thereof opposing each other and spaced apart axially of said support shaft, said shaft being threaded throughout its length extending between said brush members and the latter including portions threaded on said shaft and releasably locked against rotation relative thereto, and a protective and guide sleeve threadedly engaged on said shaft and bridging the spacing between the free ends of the bristles of said brush members, and lock nuts threadedly engaged on said shaft and jammed against said threaded portions of said brush members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 936,699 10/1909 Brewer 15-180 X 2,410,213 10/1946 Herro et a1. 2,472,155 6/1946 Gaino 15-77 2,615,192 10/1952 Morell.

EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 15-28, 

